Ministry of Defence Guard Service
MOD Guard Service Patch and Insignia
Agency overview
Formed1992[1]
Preceding agencies
  • Ministry of Defence Guard Force
  • Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency
TypeUnarmed Guarding
JurisdictionUnited Kingdom
Employees2,500+[2]
Annual budget£116.8m (2012/13)[3]
Agency executive
  • Mark Wakeford, Head of Unarmed Guarding
Parent agencyDefence Infrastructure Organisation
WebsiteOfficial Website

The Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) is part of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation of the Ministry of Defence, it provides Defence establishments across the United Kingdom with guarding and patrol services and was established as a response to the Deal Bombing.[4][5] The Guard Service is one of the few remaining uniformed Civil Service agencies within the UK, and has been named an elite guarding service within the United Kingdom.[6] They provide the highest level of security to Defence assets supporting critical Defence assets.[7]

The MGS deals with access and pass control, initial response, key control, vehicle and personnel searching, security patrols of buildings and perimeter fences, dog patrols, CCTV, and alarm monitoring. It also performs other duties like helicopter marshalling, first aid provision, mail and baggage scanning, security sweeps, and health and safety guidance and the cordoning off of suspected bomb threats.[8]

MGS Officers wearing tunics at Whitehall line the outer foyer for a VIP.

Organisation and grades

MGS guards are now formally known as security officers (SOs), following a change in vocabulary guidelines that altered the use of the word from ‘guard’ to describe and Officer, this change was implemented to avoid confusion after the Army’s Queen’s Guard Regiments changed their rank ‘Guardsman’ to ‘Guard’ in late 2022. The following are MGS grades and epaulette insignia.

Ministry of Defence Guard Service grades and insignia
Rank BRM AOM OM CSO4 CSO5[9]
Epaulette insignia

Epaulette denoting 'MOD Guard Service'

The Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) is composed of staff at all grades between SZ2 and Senior Civil Servant (SCS) Pay Band 1 (SCS PB1). A list of these is - SZ2, E2, E1, D, C2, C1, B2, B1, SCS PB1. The non-uniformed staff in MGS cover a range of business management functions and grades, for example, secretariat, service delivery, assurance, personnel management, training, standards and stores roles from SZ2 to SCS PB1 level.[10]

Grades are often referred to by officers by the antiquated grading system’s number (e.g. CSO4 may be referred to as a "four" and CSO5 a "five"). The MGS also has support, administrative and managerial staff including programme and project managers, training staff and communications staff.[11][12]

Dog section

MGS Dog Handler with his Military Working Dog in front of an MOD Carrier van
A handler wearing a foldable MOD baseball cap displays his dog in front of an MOD Dog Section Carrier.

The MGS has its own dog section, made up of CSO5 (dog handlers) and military working dogs (MWDs), which provide support to other officers.[13] The working dogs are a requirement to some MoD stations' licensing requirements to hold, store and distribute arms and ammunition, as well as other vital assets. The dogs within the MGS are recognised as force multipliers, in which the MGS say one dog team is as efficient as four officers working a beat patrol. The dog section adheres to MoD, military and statutory standards for training and welfare and are subject to the rules of engagement when met with fleeing suspects on defence estates.[14]

Performance

MOD Guard Service Logo under UK Government Regulations

The MGS's standards are maintained through external accreditation. They hold the following awards:

  • National Security Inspectorate (NSI) Gold Standard
  • Customer Service Excellence (CSE) Award
  • Committed to Equality (C2E) Award[15]
  • Government Security Team of the Year Award 2021[16]

History

From 2004 to 2013 MGS and Ministry of Defence Police worked in the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency, and were based out of MDPGA Wethersfield (previously RAF Wethersfield) in Essex. In April 2013, the MDPGA was disbanded and the MGS joined the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

From 2019 to 2020 MoD Guard Service personnel completed around 800,000 personal and vehicle searches across the Defence estate, confiscated over 9,000 out of date security and vehicle passes, reported just under 3,000 security breaches and completed over 117,00 environmental/energy conservation actions whilst undertaking patrols.[17]

Operation Riverbank

At the request of the UK Border Force various officers from the MGS assisted in Border operations during a 7 week period whilst the London 2012 Olympics were ongoing. This included detached duties to London Heathrow, Standsted Airport, Coquelles and potentially other ports as part of operations that were left undocumented in the public domain. This detachment was completed with alongside the MOD Police, and officers were trained at MDPGA Weathersfield in order to work on the borders effectively.[18]

Uniform and equipment

MOD Guard Service beret and cap-badge

Although the MGS are a guarding organisation; they wear a similar uniform to police forces such as the MET Police Service. This consists of:

Officers from the MDP and MGS in public at Whitehall, London
MGS Dog Handler on a joint exercise with the Army

Standard issue CSO uniform

  • Short-sleeved white shirt (summer dress)
  • Long-sleeved white shirt (winter dress)
  • NATO "woolly-pulley" navy blue jumper
  • Dark navy blue peaked cap (with MGS cap badge)
  • Dark navy blue beret (only issued to officers stationed at air bases that host the United States Air Force)
  • Black trousers (black combat trousers sometimes worn)
  • Duty kit belt
  • Black steel-toe-capped boots or shoes (officer specific)
  • Black epaulettes denoting "MoD Guard Service" and grade
  • Black waterproof trousers
  • Black waterproof hat cover
  • High visibility (printed with "MoD Security" in a navy blue box on breast and back)
    • High visibility light vest
    • High visibility fleece (no epaulettes)
    • High visibility waterproof coat
  • Black British Army MkII combat glove

Additional dog section uniform

  • Dark navy blue beret (with MGS cap badge)
  • Black waterproof/foldable cap denoting "MoD"
  • Black equipment vest
  • Black field jacket
  • Combat/cargo trousers

Other uniform

  • Black polo shirt with "MGS" logo on breast
  • White overalls (for vehicle searching)
  • Sealskin "beanie" hat
  • High-visibility vest[19]
  • Official MOD Guard Service tunic (number two) worn on special occasions [20]
  • Stab vest denoting department and role "MoD Security"
5 officers celebrate Remembrance Day 2022, one officer is a MGS Tunic displaying a rack of medals.

Equipment

Equipment carried can include but is not limited to:

  • Air-wave radio
  • LED torch or Maglite
  • First aid kit
  • Acid attack kit
  • Vehicle search equipment
  • Security-infringement paperwork
  • Fire safety management plans
  • Official personal notebook (PNB) and pen

Foundation training

MoD Guard Serviceman taking part in a Arms/Explosives Dog Handling course with members of the British Army
MoD Guard Serviceman (right) taking part in an arms/explosives dog handling course with members of the British Army

Currently MGS officers are expected to attend a ten day long foundation course which includes industry leading training [12] and equips officers with skills regarding service delivery and conflict management, emergency first aid (including trauma first aid) amongst other security and defence related training. This is then followed by a 6 month probation period where the officer will be assessed by their Operations Manager.

Capabilities

Project Servator

Joined up working currently exists between the Ministry of Defence Police and Ministry of Defence Guard Service on Project Servator.[21]

Operation Riverbank

Operation in place to train and utilise MGS Officers within UK Borderforce in times of need.

Services[22]

Access control

  • Control of access and egress
  • Visitor reception duties
  • Traffic control
  • Control of passes
  • Searching vehicles and personnel
  • Control and issues of keys

Patrols

  • Security patrols of buildings and perimeters
  • Dog patrols

Communication and monitoring

  • CCTV monitoring
  • Observation tower duties
  • Alarm monitoring
  • Liaison with other security providers

Emergency response

  • Contribute to counter terror planning
  • Contribute to emergency response

Specialist duties

  • First aid
  • Unit security officer
  • Scanning of mail and baggage
  • Helicopter marshalling

Controversy

OMEC

In mid 2020 the Operational MGS Employment Contract (OMEC) was introduced to newly recruited officers, this contract saw that on paper officers would earn around £25,000 which is more than what the existing contract offered. However the OMEC contract sees that officers get less meal break time and owe more shifts (26 per year) to their management. In addition officers can no longer claim for weekend premiums, and current serving officers on the old MGS contract wishing to transfer or apply for promotion will be moved onto the OMEC contract.[23] The MoD are currently not in a position to understand the MGS officer's concerns regarding the dispute which has led to officers in some areas taking industrial action.[24]

Touch pass protocol

In August 2022 it was said that officers within the MGS at Devonport Dockyard may strike as the "touch pass protocol" was announced to be brought back after COVID-19 health and safety practices put a stop to it. It is said to be due to health and safety concerns.[25]

Other organisations

The MGS works alongside armed guard services—the Military Provost Guard Service in England, Scotland and Wales, and the Northern Ireland Security Guard Service (NISGS) in Northern Ireland. The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) also work closely with the MGS, by providing an armed police service to the defence community and often act as the armed standoff or cover to the MGS whilst on guard.

The MGS also exist in within Germany as the Germany Guard Service (GGS previously CGSU (G)[6]) similar to the afore mentioned NISGS.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Archived" (PDF). Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  2. ↑ "DIO Ministry of Defence Guard Service Security Officer Shift worker - Stoke Gifford, Bristol BS34 8JH, UK - VERCIDA". Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  3. ↑ "Corporate Business Plan 2009-2013 / Business Plan 2006-2007" (PDF). Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency.
  4. ↑ MOD Guard Service, GOV.UK. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "House of Commons - Defence - Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence". www.publications.parliament.uk. 12 December 2001.
  6. 1 2 "Flashlight Issue 37" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "MOD Guard Service". GOV.UK. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "MOD Guard Service". GOV.UK. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  9. ↑ "Sign in - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK".
  10. ↑ "Ministry of Defence Guard Service Rank Structure" (PDF).
  11. ↑ "The MOD Guard Service – still working for Defence". VERCIDA. 6 April 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  12. 1 2 "MOD Guard Service".
  13. ↑ "Come join our team!" (PDF). Ministry of Defence Guard Service.
  14. ↑ "Using dogs to boost security". Gov.uk. 29 June 2020.
  15. ↑ "MOD Guard Service". GOV.UK. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  16. ↑ "DIO's MOD Guard Service Win 'Team of the Year' at this year's Government Security Awards". VERCIDA. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  17. ↑ "DIO Annual Report 2019/2020" (PDF). Gov.uk. 2020.
  18. ↑ "Flashlight 20 Year Anniversary" (PDF). Whatdotheyknow. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  19. ↑ "MoD Security Guards on selective industrial action due to T&Cs dispute". www.gbc.gi. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  20. ↑ Shearin, Martin (2012). "GOC's Commendation for CSO5 Martin Shearin Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall" (PDF).
  21. ↑ "MDP marks 5 years of Project Servator". GOV.UK. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  22. ↑ "Talk Through" (PDF). Nuclear Info. April 2004.
  23. ↑ "Protect the MOD Guards".
  24. ↑ "MOD Guard Service OMEC Contract Gibraltar".
  25. ↑ "MOD Guard Service Touch Pass Protocol". 4 August 2022.
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